Rich Roberts

Director

Rich Roberts, a 33-year communications veteran grounded in the writing disciplines of a daily newspaper, followed his fascination with marketing into the worlds of corporate communications, media relations and advertising, working along the way for two of the largest lodging franchisors in the world, an iconic hospitality and entertainment company and two full-service marketing communications agencies. 

This former reporter likes nothing better than delving into new subjects and believes “everybody has a story that somebody would be interested to hear,” as long as it is properly presented and targets the right audience.  He also enjoys exploring the Internet’s potential for helping him deliver “the message” with enhanced impact at reduced cost.

Whether communicating via the Web or e-mail or the printed word, Rich believes public relations should be practiced from a journalist's point of view with the same values and disciplines.  His core skills include communications strategic planning; consumer and trade media relations; international communications; employee communications; franchisee communications; Web-based information and graphics management; crisis communications; copywriting; client acquisition and retention; client relationship management; news writing and editing; and photography.

Rich’s experience includes eight years as head of communications for Wyndham Worldwide’s Hotel Group (formerly Cendant Corporation), five years as director of internal communications for Choice Hotels International, five years with two central Pennsylvania marketing communications agencies, seven years as corporate communications director for Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company and eight years as a reporter and editor for The Patriot-News Co., a Newhouse affiliate that publishes weekday and Sunday newspapers in Harrisburg, Pa.

He currently writes a monthly column for Hotel News Now, a division of Smith Travel Research.